Montreal Canadiens' New Look: Sergei's Back, Max Must Pack

The Montreal Canadiens have very little time to start win hockey games. They can no longer count on other teams to lose. If the playoffs are in the picture, victories are necessary.

Bob Gainey seems to think a familiar face can help with the current dire situation. In bringing up Sergei Kostitsyn from Hamilton, he hopes to not only get a player that will play with desperation, but one that will spark his brother as well.

Andrei Kostitsyn very possibly has the best shot on the Montreal Canadiens. He can also skate through opposing teams with ease, showcasing masterful stick-handling and incredible speed. Unfortunately, as a fan, you have probably seen more of his shortcomings than anything this season.

It seems that when Sergei was sent down to ride the buses in Hamilton, Andrei checked out and stopped playing.

Personally, I think his play has been nothing short of terrible. He looks lost and lazy every shift he's on the ice. If the reason for his inability to score goals or look like a hockey player is that he's upset he's not able to play with his brother, I think he should reconsider his career options. Professional hockey players should be, well, professionals!

But as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Welcome back to the Bigs, Sergei!

Young Max Pacioretty's stint in Montreal has come to an end - at least for the time being.

MaxPac impressed me. He was always strong on the puck and was one of the only Habs who fore-checked consistently. He didn't always skate back to the defensive zone fast enough, but he's very young.

He will improve in Hamilton: I think we'll be seeing a much more complete Max Pacioretty in the next couple of seasons. He's now a big boy, he'll soon be a big man. I think that once he gets some confidence dominating the AHL, he'll start scoring more goals. He may be the next big forward the Canadiens have needed for the past ten seasons.

It's tough to see a very hardworking kid being replaced by Segei Kostitsyn. Unless, of course, it's last season's Sergei.

The same Sergei that picked fights with players much bigger than him. And made magical cross-ice passes. And made the team around him very happy, and better, at that.